Internal combustion locomotive



Nov. 15, 1932. J e g 1,887,633

INTERNAL COMBUSTION LOCOMOTIVE Filed March 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l m fad Value 1q-ttarngw M 90% J. GEIGERI 1,887,633

INTERNAL COMBUSTION LOCOMOTIVE Nov. 15, 1932.

Filed March 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED sTaTEs PATENT .oFFrca JOSE]? GEIGER, OF AUG-SBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR' TO MASCEINENFABBJK AUGSBURG- NURNIBERG A.-G., 0F AUGSBUBG, GERMANY, A CORPORATION mrnmvar. con'sus'rron tocoiuorrvn Application fil ed larch 13,1928, Serial No. 84,516, and in Germany larch 18, 1925.

Diesel locomotives with compressed air transmission are known, in which the Diesel engine drives a separate compressor which supplies the compressed air required for performing work in the locomotive cylinders. The construction in question is quite suitable for small and medium locomotives, but in the case of high power locomotives has the drawback that the whole installation becomes comparatively heavy and expensive. Moreover, these locomotives necessitate the use of recooling installations for the cooling water of the Diesel engines and the compressor, which installations increase with the increase in the size of the locomotive, and in that way the difliculties of construction are still further increased and in the case of very large engines, make it even necessary to tow a separate coolin car.

The met od of working according to the present invention has the advantages of the compressed air transmission, whilst avoiding the drawbacks above referred toby again compressing in the locomotive cylinders, to the temperature of ignition of the fuel, the compressed air supplied by the compressor after it has done its work in the locomotive cylinders, and by then injecting fuel into the said compressed air. The Diesel engine has therefore to supply only a small portion of the locomotive power, which is then increased in the locomotive cylinders owing to the latter operating during the second part of a workin cycle as an internal combustion engine, a ter having worked during the first part of the c cle as a compressor. In its application to ouble acting two stroke engines, the method of working is preferably carried out in such a manner that compressed air is first supplied to one istonside of the cylinder and expands and performs work therein; the expelled air then conveyed to the opposite iston side through a receiver, and

is heated y compression to the temperature of ignition of the fuel which is then rejected.

Before its admission into the locomotive pressures hitherto usual in locomotives automatic ignition of the fuel. For heating the compressed air the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine are preferably used, though naturally any other suitable means could be used for the purpose.

The new method of working is diagrammatically illustrated for four stroke working in Figure 1 of the drawings. Figure 2 shows diagrammatically by way of example a construction of the locomotive. Figure 3 is the diagram for two stroke working and Figure 4 is a section through a correspondingl built double acting two stroke locomotive cy inder. Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a locomotive construction employing the double acting driving cylinder of Fig. 4. Fi s. 6, 7 and 8 are partial vertical sectional v1ews through the right hand end of the driving cylinder of' Fig. 4 illustrating the startin valve arrangement and the fuel valve. ig. 6 illustrates the positions of the parts for startin when the piston is in the right hand dea center position. Fig. 7 illustrates the positions of Compressed air at compartively low pressure which is generated m a separate compressor b driven by the Diesel engine a (Figure 2 after having been preheated to a suitably igh temperature, is admitted into the locomotive cylinder or cylinders as indicated by the line 1-2 of the indicator diagram of Figure 1. The heating of the compressed air could be effected by any suitable means for instance by means of the exhaust gases tom the Diesel engine in aheater a heated .by the same. Let it be assumed that the compressed air thus preheated before admission into the locomotive cylinder d has for instance a pressure of 8 atmospheres and a temperature of 350 C. From the points 2 to 3 of Figure 1 ex ansion of the compressed air takes place. I tre position of the piston at ,3 thecontrolled outlet valve e will be opened to exhaust to hortly before the dead cenatmosphere and during the reversal of stroke will allow the compressed air to expand to such an extent that the pressure will be equalized with that of the surrounding atmosphere. At 4 the outlet valve will be closed, and the air still contained in the locomotive cylinder will then be compressed to about 15 atmospheres during the return of the iston, its temperature, owing to the preheating, rising to such an extent that the fuel injected will be automatically ignited (point 5 of Figure 1). Into this highly heated air is injected through the nozzle f fuel which thereupon. burns for instance at a constant pressure (in Figure 1 from 5 to 6). From 6 to 7 expansion of the burnt gases then takes lace. The locomotive cylinder works durmg this stroke as an internal combustion engine. At 7, shortly before the end of the stroke, the outlet valve is opened and then, up to the point 8 of Figure 1, the exhaust stroke follows. The end of the expansion of the compressed air at the point 4, andthe end of. the expulsion of the burnt gases at the point 8 are controlled by one and the same control element, viz the cam disc 9 having .the two cams g and g which" are designed accordingly. Beginning at 8, a short compression of the burnt gases still contained in the cylinder takes place, and at the point I then begins the renewed admission of compressed air. The working cycle is thereupon repeated in the manner above described. In the construction described, it has been assumed'that the expansion of the compressed air and the subsequent combustion takes place in the same locomotive cylinders. These operations could however take place in separate cylinders or on o posite piston sides of the same cylinder. In igures 3 and 4, compressed air at relatively low pres sure, for instance at 8 atmospheres, which is generated in a se arate com ressor b driven by the Diesel engine a, after aving been preheated to a suitably high temperature in the heater 0, is first admitted through the conduit a into the valve chest b and conveyed by means of the control valve 0' (made in the form of a piston valve for example) through the port (1 to the rear face of the engine piston e which is thereby driven to the right. The piston e is connected to a crank on the driving axle of the locomotive through a crosshead and linkage arrangement as shown 'in Fig. 2. The piston valve 0 is connected by the rod 1' to a suitable operating cam arrangement g" in the manner of Fig. 2, the

cam being driven from the axle of the locamotive or in coordinated driving relation with the driving cylinder in the customary manner so that the operation of the valve is coordinated with the operation of the driving cylinder. The'admisslon of the heated compressed air takes place from 1 to 2 of Figure 3. At the point 2 of Figure 3 the edge I of the piston valve closes the port (5' so that 7 from 2 to 3 of Figure 3 expansion of the com ressed air takes place. At the point 3 of igure 3 the edge II of the piston valve has passed the edge III of the port (1', and the compressed air contained in the" cylinder can expand until the end of the stroke of the piston and escape through the hollow spaceof the piston valve 0, through the conduit 9 and through the pipe it into a receiver z during the return of the piston until the point 4 of Figure 3 is reached. At this point the control edge II of the iston valve has again completely covered, uringits return movement, the inlet port d so that the compressed air still remaining in the cylinder will be compressed during the return movement of the engine piston e. As soon as the control edge I of the piston valve has passed the art edge IV, the admission of com ressed air gins again at this piston side. uring its return movement from right to left the engine piston e first uncovers at the point 5 of Figure 3 the outlet ports is at the opposite piston side of the cylmder so that this cylinder end can exhaust. During the continued return movement, the engine piston e uncovers the inlet ports 1 so that air can then pass from thereceiver 6 to this cylinder side and scaven e the remainder of the burnt gases from t e same. During the reverse movement of the engine piston, the scavenging will be continued and after the closing of the outlet ports k at the point 6 of Figure 3 the compression of the air contained in the cylinder begins, this compression takin place up to the point 7. of Figure 3. During the reverse movement of the iston which now takes place, fuel is supplied throu h suitable injection piping (not shown) in e conventional manner as employed in Diesel engines to the injection nozzle controlled by the fuel valve 122. and is injected into the air compressed to about 15 atmospheres atthis cylinder side (line 7-8 of Figure 3) and burns at a temperature of about 600 C. From 8 to 5 the ex ansion of the burnt gases at this cylinder si e takes place. At the point 5 the piston begins to agam' open the outlet ports so that rom here to the point 6 the scavenging and the recharging of this cylinder side with combustion air from the receiver 2' again takes place.

For starting the locomotive and for overcoming gradients or to provide for the contingency of the fuel valve failing, the internal combustion end of the cylinder is provided in the cylinder cover with two starting valves n and o, the former of which works as an inlet valve connected to a suitable source of compressed air and the other valve 0 connected to atmosphere works as an outlet valve. The two valves are operated by a lever p which is eccentrically and rotatably mounted on the eccentric shaft 9 and driven preferably by the rod 1' of the control valve 0 from the linkage described above, in such a manner that in the right hand dead centre position of the en ine piston illustrated in Fig. 6, the inlet va ve n is open and the out.- let valve 0 closed, whilst before the opposite dead centre position is reached the outlet valve 0 is opened and the inlet valve n closedas illustrated in Fig. 7 Accordingly, on the return of the piston, the starting air can escape again from the cylinder through the outlet valve 0. lhe eccentric mounting of the valve lever p makes it possible, after the starting of the engine at the beginnin of normal working, to rotate the eccentric s aft 9 to move the valve lever 19 in such a manner that it is brought away from the Valves n, 0, so that these two valves remain ermanently closed during the normal wor ing of the locomotive.

I claim: 1. In a locomotive constructed for cooperatively combined air motor and Diesel engine operation in a working cylinder, the method which comprises preheating compressed air,

introducing the preheated compressed air into pheric temperatures coordinated with the compression pressure to be attained during the Diesel operation, recompressing at least a portion of the expanded air of predeter- V mined temperature from the air motor operation in the working cylinder to the said compression pressure to attain an ignition compression temperature m excess of the compression temperature normally resulting' from such a compression pressure, and injecting fuel into such compressed air with resulting self-ignition and combustion to effect work.

2. In a locomotive constructed for cooperatively combined air'motor and Diesel engine operation, the method which comprises preheating compressed air, introducing the preheated compressed air into the air motor with expansion therein to effect work, coordinat ing the preheating of the air and the expansion thereof in the air motor operation with the com ressionpressure to be attained during the iesel operation and so that exhaust air from the air motor operation has a residual temperature above normal atmospheric temperatures, introducing'exhaust air having such a residual temperature from the air motor operation into the Diesel engine with resultant recompression therein to the said compression pressure to attain an ignition compression temperature in excess of the compression temperature normally resulting.

from such a compression pressure, and injecting fuel into. such recompressed air with resulting. self-ignition and combustion to effect work, the self-ignition being thereby attained in the Diesel operation without the employment of unduly high compression pressures.

3.In a locomotive of the character described having a driving axle, a combined air motor and Diesel engine driving cylinder for said locomotive, a piston therein operatively connected to said driving'axle, means for supplying highly heated compressed air to said driving cylinder with resultant expansion for air motor operation therein to drive said piston on one working stroke, means providing for recompressing expanded air from the air motor operation within said cylinder to a predetermined compression pressure not substantiallyexceeding.

fifteen atmospheres, the heated compressed air and its expansion during the air motor operation being such as to provide expanded air having a residual temperature above normal atmospheric temperatures such that recompression to said predetermined compression pressure gives a compression tempera"- ture sufiicient to cause self-ignition of fuel injected therein, means for injecting fuel into said cylinder for Diesel engine operation therein to drive said piston on an alternate Workingstroke, and means for controlling the residual temperature and pressure of the expanded air from the airffmotor operation. 4. In a locomotive of the character described having a driving axle, a combined air motor and Diesel engine driving cylinder forsaid locomotive, a piston therein operatively connected to said driving axle,-

means for supplying highly heated compressed air to oneend of said driving cylin der with resultant expansion for air motor operation therein to drive said piston on one working stroke, a receiver of substantial volume to provide apressure equalizer and to damp out pressure surges, means for control-- ling the exhausting of expanded air from the air'motor operation into said receiver whereby the exhausted air may be stored therein at a residual temperature above normal atmospheric temperatures, means conpression pressure, and means for injectingfuel into the compressed air within said opposite cylinder and with resultant self-ignition and combustion providing a Diesel oppiston on an alternate ing combined two-cycle air motor and twocycle Diesel engine driving cylinder for said locomotive, a piston therein operatively connected to said driving axle, means for supplying highly heated com ressed air to one end of said driving cylind expansion for air motor operation therein to drive said piston on one working stroke, a receiver of substantial volume to provide a pressure equalizer and to damp out pressure surges, means for controlling the exhausting of expanded air from the air motor operation into said receiver whereby the exhausted air may be stored therein at a residual temperature above normal atmospheric temperatures and at a residual pressure, said driving cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports in the wall thereof controlled by the piston at the opposite Diesel operating part of the cylinder, a passage connecting the said receiver with said inlet port whereby air at a residual temperature and pressure is sup.- plied to the said Diesel part of the driving cylinder on the exhaust stroke of the piston therein to scavenge said Diesel part of the cylinder and suppl thereto combustion air of a predetermined high temperature such that upon compression of the air therein on the compression stroke of the piston an ignition compression temperature is produced sufiicient to cause self-ignition of fuel injected therein, and means for injecting fuel into the compressed air within said opposite Diesel part of the cylinder with resultant self-ignition and combustion providing a Diesel operation to drive said piston on an alternate working stroke.

v6. In a locomotive-of the character described having a driving axle, a double-acting combined air motor and Diesel engine driving cylinder for said locomotive, a piston therein operatively connected to said driving axle, means for supplying compressed air to one end of said driving cylinder with resultant expansion for air motor operation therein to drive said piston on one working stroke, a control member for controlling the introduction of the compressed air into and the exhausting of the expanded air from said end of the cylinder,

means for operating said control member, means for introducing combustion air and for injecting fuel into the other end of said cylinder to provide for Diesel 0 eration therein to drive said piston on an a mrnate .workin stroke a ressure air startin mechanism for the Diesel end of said cylinder, and an operative interconnection between said control member and said air starting mechanism whereby the introduction of compressed air into the air motor end of the cyler with resultant inder is coordinated with theintroduction of the said cylinder to cooperate in bringing the locomotive into operation.

'7. In a locomotive of the character described having a driving axle, a double-acting combined air motor and Diesel engine driving cylinder for said locomotive, a piston therein operatively connected to said driving axle, means for supplying compressed air to one end inder with resultant expansion for air motor operation therein to drive said piston on one working stroke, a control member for controlling the introduction of the compressed air into and the exhausting of the expanded air from said end of the cylinder, means for driving said control member in coordinated time relationship with said piston, means for introducing combustion air and for injecting fuel into the other end of said cylinder to provide for Diesel operation therein to drive said piston on an alternate working stroke, a pressure air start ing mechanism for the Diesel end of said cylinder, an operative interconnection between said control member and said air starting mechanism whereby the introduction of compressed air into the air motor end of the cylinder is coordinated with the introduction of pressure starting air into the Diesel end of the said cylinder to cooperate in bringing the locomotive into operation, and means for cutting said ressure air starting mechanism out of operatlon so that the driving cylinder may be switched over to combined air motor and Diesel engine operation after starting of the locomotive.

8. In a locomotive constructed for cooperatively combined air motor and Diesel ene operationjthemethod which comprises introducing highly heated compressed air into the air motor with expansion therein to effect work, exhausting expanded air from the air motor operation at a residual temperature above normal atmospheric temperatures, introducing exhaust air having such a residual temperature from the air motor operation into the Diesel engine with resultant recompression therein to a compression pressure not substantially exceeding 15 atmospheres and injecting fuel into such recompressed air with resulting self-ignition and combustion to efi'ect work.

In testimony whereof I have afixed my signature.

JOSEF GEIGER.

- pressure starting air into the Diesel end of a of said driving cyl- 

